Saleh bin Awad al Maghamsi (also Saleh al-Moghamsy) ( ar, صالح بن عواد المغامسي الحربي, '; born 17 November 1963) is a
sunni
Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagr ...
Islamic scholar from
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
. He was the
Imam
Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, ser ...
of the
Quba Mosque
, location = Madinah, Saudi Arabia
, geo =
, religious_affiliation = Islam
, region = Hejaz
, province = Al Madinah
, website =
, architect = Abdel-Wahe ...
of Medina. He was a student of
Ibn Baaz
Sheikh Abd al Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz ( ar, عبد العزيز بن عبد الله بن باز, ʿAbd al ʿAzīz bin ʿAbdullāh bin Bāz, 21 November 1912 – 13 May 1999) was a Saudi Arabian Islamic scholar who served as the Grand Mufti of ...
among other Islamic scholars.
[
]
Early life and education
Bin Awad al Maghamsi was born in 1963 in Al Madinah Region
The Medina Province ( ar, مِنْطَقَة ٱلْمَدِيْنَة ٱلْمُنَوَّرَة, Minṭaqat Al-Madīnah Al-Munawarah) is a province ('' minṭaqah'') of Saudi Arabia, located on the country's western side, along the Red Sea coa ...
(''Al-Madina Al-Munawara'') of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He grew up and was educated in the Medina region. He attended King Abdul Aziz University
King Abdulaziz University (KAU) ( ar, جامعة الملك عبد العزيز) is a public university in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. With over 117,096 students in 2022, it is the largest university in the country. Located in south Jeddah, the uni ...
where he graduated in Arabic language and Islamic studies. He then studied under a number of Islamic scholars such as Mohammed Attia Salem, Abu Bakr Aljazairi, Saleh Mohammed Ibn Othaymeen, and Ibn Baaz
Sheikh Abd al Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz ( ar, عبد العزيز بن عبد الله بن باز, ʿAbd al ʿAzīz bin ʿAbdullāh bin Bāz, 21 November 1912 – 13 May 1999) was a Saudi Arabian Islamic scholar who served as the Grand Mufti of ...
.[
]
Career
He became Educational Supervisor in the Arabic Language Department in the General Directorate of Education in Al-Madina Al-Munawara circa 1991.[According to information from assabile.com and Al Maghamsi's official website] Several years later (circa 1994) he became a member of the Islamic Awareness Commission for Hajj. In 1422H (circa 2001) he was appointed as Khatib (giving Friday ''khutbah
''Khutbah'' ( ar, خطبة ''khuṭbah'', tr, hutbe) serves as the primary formal occasion for public preaching in the Islamic tradition.
Such sermons occur regularly, as prescribed by the teachings of all legal schools. The Islamic traditi ...
'' sermon) at King Abdul Aziz Mosque in Al-Madina Al-Munawara,[ and worked there for several years.][ In 1426H (circa 2005) he became a member of the International Commission on Scientific Signs in Quran & Sunnah.][ He became imam of the Mosque of Quba in Al-Madina Al-Munawara circa 2006. He was appointed as the official mufti for Saudi Arabia Television Channel 1 the next year.][ He became General Manager for the Center of Research and studies in Al-Madina Al-Munawara circa 2010.][ He was appointed lecturer at the Superior Institute of Imams and Orators in Taibah University circa 2011.][ He has made many contributions and lectures on different Arabic and Gulf countries' satellite channels.]
Al Maghamsi has been described as having close connections with King Salman. According to ''Foreign Policy'' magazine,
The new Saudi king recently served as head of the supervisory board for a Medina research center directed by Maghamsi. A year after Maghamsi’s offensive comments n Osama bin Laden Salman sponsored and attended a large cultural festival organized by the preacher. Maghamsi also advises two of Salman’s sons, one of whom took an adoring “selfie” with the preacher last year.
Works
Recordings of his weekly lessons of interpretation in the Quba mosque in Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the Holiest sites in Islam, second-holiest city in Islam, ...
have been released in five albums under the title ''Reflections verses''.
Sheikh Saleh al Maghamsi has also monthly classes in Jeddah
Jeddah ( ), also spelled Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; ar, , Jidda, ), is a city in the Hejaz region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the country's commercial center. Established in the 6th century BC as a fishing village, Jeddah's pro ...
.
Website
''Al-Rasekhoon fi Al-Elm'' (“Steadfast in knowledge”) is the official website of Saleh Bin Awad Al Maghamsi. According to the site, its name comes from a verse of the Quran, and aims to explicate the meanings of the Quran without neglecting the Sunna.
TV programs
* ''Pros of interpretation'' — a weekly program in the interpretation, on Al-Majd channel.
* ''Kattouf Dania'' — televised monthly meeting held every second Monday on TV channel Al-Majd
* ''Bahrain Complex'' — thirteen half-hour episode series on Al-Majd channel; recorded in three days
* ''Secretary place'' — on the Qatari channel every Wednesday
* ''Tafseer'' — on Noor Dubai channel
Views and controversy
On March 27, 2012 on Qatar Television
Qatar Television, ( ar, تلفزيون قَطَر); abbreviated as Qatar TV or QTV), is a Qatar Government owned public service national television channel in Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), offi ...
, Al-Maghamsi stated that although "Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden (10 March 1957 – 2 May 2011) was a Saudi-born extremist militant who founded al-Qaeda and served as its leader from 1988 until Killing of Osama bin Laden, his death in 2011. Ideologically a Pan-Islamism ...
's organization" did great harm to the Muslim nation (umma) he "has more sanctity and honor than any infidel"—infidel being defined as “Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, apostates, and atheists”. He has been accused by the conservative business newspaper ''Investors Business Daily
''Investor's Business Daily'' (''IBD'') is an American newspaper and website covering the stock market, international business, finance and economics. Founded in 1984 by William O'Neil as a print news publication, it is owned by News Corp and i ...
'' of anti-semitism.
On the controversy over whether women may be allowed to reveal their faces in public, i.e. need not wear a niqāb
A niqāb or niqaab (; ar, نِقاب ', "aceveil"), also called a ruband, ( fa, روبند) is a garment, usually black, that covers the face, worn by some Muslim women as a part of an interpretation of '' hijab'' (i.e. "modest dress"). Musli ...
(Sheikh Ahmad Al-Ghamdi, had created an uproar in 2014 by saying it was allowed), Al-Maghamsi said it is "always better to be modest though he admitted that not all scholars agree that women should not reveal their faces".
Al-Maghamsi has also come out in favor of "taking care of historical mosques", stating that such a practice is not unorthodox but religious and an act of worship.
See also
* Islam in Saudi Arabia
Sunni Islam is the state religion of Saudi Arabia. The connection between Islam and modern-day Saudi Arabia is uniquely strong. The kingdom is called the "home of Islam"; the kingdom is also the birthplace of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, with all ...
References
External links
*
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maghamsi, Saleh Al
1963 births
Living people
Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam
Saudi Arabian Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam